Terry Collins: If The People Who See Harvey Say He’s Ready, Bring Him Up

Harvey Hysteria is gripping the Mets fanbase and I think even manager Terry Collins is getting caught up in it as he continues to weigh in daily and leans toward bringing him up with each passing day.

Maybe during an idle moment, Collins had an opportunity to take a gander at Miguel Batista’s and Jeremy Hefner’s starts this season with the Mets? Maybe he didn’t particularly care for his big sniff of reality?

Hefner has a 6.89 ERA in three starts this season for the Mets, while Batista was a little better posting a 1,63 WHIP in four starts. Sobering numbers indeed for a manager who is presiding over a team that’s apparently in a playoff push.

During the All Star Game when Collins was first asked about the possibility of Matt Harvey replacing Dillon Gee in the rotation, he emphatically said Batista would get the start next Wednesday against the Nationals.

A day later, after learning that Gee could be lost for the season, he hedged and left the door open saying there’s a “remote possibility” we could see Matt Harvey get that start next Wednesday.

Then yesterday, he sounded like a man pleading on his hands and knees when he said, “If the people who see him say he’s ready, bring him up. I’m all for it.”

The second half of the season begins tonight for the Mets who are 46-40 and still in the thick of it.

Every game counts.

This may not be the most ideal time to debut one of your blue-chip prospects, but it’s as good a time as any. And how seductive does a Matt Harvey vs. Stephen Strasburg matchup sound to you? Or would you prefer a Batista vs Strasburg matchup instead?

There are those who say winning isn’t everything, the heck with it and leave Harvey at Triple-A where he can continue to fine tune his game until a September call-up when rosters expand. Of course by then, you won’t have to worry about the kid having any added pressure over performing in meaningful games in September.

This is not about Matt Harvey. It’s a question of whether the team wants to put their best players out there and win, or waving the white flag with the likes of Miguel Batista. I say this because ready or not, Harvey still gives the Mets a better chance to win than Batista does. So what’s your pleasure?

I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73, '00 and '15, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction and interact with other passionate Met fans like you. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.